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Homemade apothecary: DIY beauty products

Posted in Explore and Discover on January 20, 2021 at 6:00 am

By Crystal Miller If the winter cold and extra hand washing have made your hands slightly (or very!) dry like mine, I offer you the idea of handmade lotion bars. Instead of grabbing hand lotion at the store, you can make these lotion bars with help from our digital resource Creativebug. By making your own […]

Finding comfort & resources during a pandemic

Posted in Explore and Discover on January 13, 2021 at 6:00 am

By Susan Goertz The COVID-19 pandemic has forced us to re-evaluate, reschedule, reimagine, and even relocate. This has been a time of radical transformation for many, if not all of us. While the pandemic has left few lives untouched, its effects have not been equitable. Some of us have struggled with cabin fever and online […]

What we buy (other than books)

Posted in Explore and Discover on January 6, 2021 at 6:00 am

By Dana Mannino The philosopher Erasmus once said: “When I have a little money, I buy books; and if I have any left, I buy food and clothes.” The Library District buys a lot of books for our 10 libraries (over 34,000 print books and over 10,000 eBooks in 2020 alone). With our budget for […]

Civic Lab Online: The Two-Party Political System

Posted in Explore and Discover, News on December 31, 2020 at 6:00 am

About Civic Lab Online Civic Lab Online provides information on issues facing our community for you to explore. Take a look at thought-provoking materials for teens and adults that allow us to engage in open conversation and grow together as a community. You’ll find all past topics on the Civic Lab Online web page. What is […]

Seriously fun things to do on cold, snowy days

Posted in Explore and Discover on December 30, 2020 at 6:00 am

By Alison Johnson I know it may be hard to believe, but there are times when a marathon of Disney movies or Doctor Who is just not appealing. Sometimes I am so tired of being inside, that even if it is cold and snowy, I just have to get outside and do something. I think […]

Kids share their favorite books: Winter break edition

Posted in kids on December 22, 2020 at 6:00 am

By Rachel Edmondson When I was in school, one of my favorite things about winter break was that I didn’t have to read books assigned for class because that meant I had time to read books I picked myself! Studies have shown that kids are more motivated to read when they are allowed to pick […]

Let’s go outside! Wintertime play & activities for everyone

Posted in Explore and Discover on December 17, 2020 at 6:00 am

By Abra Cole Winter officially starts next week on December 21. This fall, we’ve already had below freezing temperatures and snow. And in the months ahead, we can expect even more snowy days and below freezing cold. I propose the following idea: there is no reason to shelter inside until spring! As the Norwegians say: […]

Project ELLO: Everyday Language & Learning Opportunities

Posted in News, Parents and Teachers on December 15, 2020 at 6:00 am

Guest blog by Dr. Allison Wilson Community spaces and familiar routines offer rich opportunities for meaningful interactions and learning with young children. Everyday Language and Learning Opportunities (Project ELLO) focuses on increasing the number of quality, language-rich interactions between caregivers and young children. ELLO resources encou […]

Exploring memoir writing with children

Posted in Parents and Teachers on December 10, 2020 at 6:00 am

BY CAITLIN WHEELER MEMOIR, A MOMENT IN A LIFE Unlike biography, which is the story of a life, memoir is a story within a life—a moment or a thread of moments that shed light on a larger truth. Everyone has stories like these: little moments in our lives that illustrate something bigger about how we […]

’Tis the season for streaming holiday music from hoopla

Posted in Explore and Discover on December 2, 2020 at 6:00 am

By Gwendolyn Haley It’s a contentious and potentially divisive subject: When does the Christmas and holiday music season start? Is it okay to play holiday music before Thanksgiving? Before Halloween? In July!? Personally, I find that my preference for holiday music depends upon the year. Sometimes I am fully ready to dive in as soon […]

Tags: holidays, hoopla, music

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